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1907 





NOTES 



ON 



A Journey on the James, 



TOGETHER WITH 



A GUIDE TO OLD JAMESTOWN. 




J JLUVCIES IR/IVIEIR, 



NOTES 



ON 



A Journey on the James, 



TOGETHER WITH 



A GUIDE TO OLD JAMESTOWN. 



1 
Compiled for A. P. V. A. by " 

William G. Stanard, 
Committee on Guide Book. 



Notes on a Journey on the James, 



[FOR GUIDE TO JAMESTOWN SEE PAGES 13-22.] 



JUST opposite the wharf were formerly the 
yards of the Midlothian Coal and Iron 
Mining Company. Coal mined at Mid- 
lothian in Chesterfield county, thirteen miles 
from Richmond, was brought to this point on 
one of the first railroads built in Virginia. It 
was completed in 1831; its motive power was 
horses and mules, and it was phenomenal as 
paying a dividend of ten per cent, at the end 
of the first six months. 

POWHATAN SEAT. — Starting on its way 
down the river, the steamer soon passes, on the 
left, the wharves of the Chesapeake and Ohio 
Railroad Company. The brick building in the 
rear of these wharves is "Powhatan Seat," long 
the residence of the Mayo family. Joseph Mayo, 
the brother of Major William Mayo, who laid 
off the cities of Richmond and Petersburg, set- 
tled here about 1725. A tradition of long 
standing, claims that this was the place where 
Pocahontas rescued John Smith, and the stone 
on which his head was placed is still pointed 
out. Another large boulder bearing some rude 
carving is said to mark the burial-place of Pow- 
hatan. It seems certain, however, that both 
of these traditions are incorrect. The celebrated 
rescue took place at Werowcomoco, Glouces- 



ter county, and one of the early historians 
writes that Powhatan, soon after the death of 
Pocahontas, retired to O'rapakes ("in the Des- 
ert"), near the Chicahominy, where he had 
stored up furs, &c, against the time of his bur- 
ial . He was doubtless buried at this place, 
which is now called Orapax, in New Kent county. 
At the time when this place (Powhatan) was 
visited by Captain Smith, it was an Indian vil- 
lage of twelve houses, the residence of a subordi- 
nate chief called "Little Powhatan." Smith, who 
described it as the most delightful situation in 
Virginia, purchased it from, the Indians, and 
named it "None Such," but could not persuade 
the stupid colonists to occupy it, they preferring 
to settle on the lower, marshy river bank. 

TREE HILL. — A short distance below the 
Chesapeake and Ohio wharves, is seen, on a hill, 
on the left, the "Tree Hill" house. This place 
was at one time the residence of Col. Miles Sel- 
den and others of that family, but was chiefly cele- 
brated for its race track, on which, for many 
years, the leading horses of the United States met 
at the annual Spring and Fall races. Its cele- 
brity during the earlier portion of the nineteenth 
century equalled that since attained by Long 
Branch, Saratoga, or Monmouth. 



im 






WHITBY. — Nearly opposite Tree Hill, on the 
right bank of the river, is an old estate called 
Whitby, which was settled about 1660 by John 
Goode, whose descendants owned it about 200 
years. The house built by him was removed some 
years ago, and the present one built. 

CHATSWOKTH. — Not far below "Tree Hill," 
and on the same side of the river, is Chatsworth, 
also of note as a stock farm, and now the property 
of Mr. Chaffin, of Richmond. This was formerly 
a seat of the Randolph family, from the time of 
Col. Peter Randolph, member of the Council, and 
Surveyoi^-General of the Customs, to that of Mr. 
William B. Randolph, the last male of his imme- 
diate branch, who died since the late war. This 
was the birthplace of Beverley Randolph, Gover- 
nor of Virginia; of Col. Robert Randolph, of 
"Eastern View," Fauquier county (ancestor of 
the present Episcopal Bishop of the Southern 
Diocese of Virginia), and also the birthplace of 
Mrs. Fitzhugh, of "Chatham," grandmother of 
Mrs. Gen. Robert E. Lee. 

AVARWICK (5) — An old chimney standing on 
the right bank of the river, lately marked the site 
of the village of Warwick. Before the bars above 
this place had been removed this was quite an im- 
portant shipping point. In April, 1781, the Brit- 
ish took possession, destroyed a magazine of 500 
barrels of flour, several mills, warehouses, store- 
houses, rope walks, &c, and burnt two vessels in 
the river, and several on the stocks. They appear 



not to have burnt the dwelling houses, as Chas- 
tellux, who was there in 1782, describes it as "a 
charming place called Warwick, where a group 
of handsome houses form a sort of village, 
and there are several superb ones in the neighbor- 
hood, among others that of Col. Cary, on the right 
bank of the river, and Mr. Randolph's on the op- 
posite shore." The village was soon afterwards 
abandoned and the house gradually torn down. 
Within the memory of man the large tavern was 
standing and used as a barn. 

"AMPTHILL," (5 1-2)— On the right bank is 
the large, square brick house (some distance from 
the river), whose roof and chimneys give good 
evidences of its antiquity. It was, it is believed, 
built by Henry Cary (who superintended the erec- 
ection of the capitol and palace in Williamsburg) 
and was afterwards the residence of his son, Ar- 
chibald Cary, of Revolutionary celebrity. Archi- 
bald Cary, as chairman of the committee, reported, 
on May 15, 1776, in the Virginia Convention, the 
resolutions instructing the Virginia delegation in 
Congress to propose to that body "to declare the 
United Colonies free and independent States." The 
negroes of the neighborhood formerly had a 
tradition that Col. Cary was buried in the cellar 
of the house. This has been explained by a sug- 
gestion that his body was probably moved from 
the house at night. The estate later became the 
property of Mr. Robert Temple. 

FALLING CREEK (6).— At the lower end 



of the "Ampthill" estate Falling Creek flows into 
the river. This was a place of great note in the 
early colonial period; and here, about half a 
mile up the creek, the first iron works in America 
were established in 1620. The iron was made 
from bog ore found in the vicinity. Considera- 
ble progress was made in this work, but in 1622 
the superintendent and all of the workmen were 
killed by Indians, and their tools thrown in the 
river. Since the year 1700, at least, there has 
been a grist mill on the creek, and one still 
exists near a picturesque little fall. Col. Cary's 
mills here were burned by Tarleton during the 
Revolution. 

WILTON (6) is the large brick house 
on the left bank of the river, just opposite 
the mouth of Falling Creek. This old mansion 
with its handsomely wainscoted rooms, was built 
early in the eighteenth century by William Ran- 
dolph, son of Colonel William Randolph, Jr., of 
Turkey Island, and remained in possession of his 
descendants until the period of the O'vil War. 
While several of its owners represented Henrico 
in the House of Burgesses and State Legislature, 
perhaps the best known members of the branch 
of the Randolphs who lived here have been Innes 
Randolph, the poet and Anne Randolph, who just 
prior to the Revolution, was one of the re;gmng 
belles of the Colony, and who was called by the 
beaux of her day (as appears from Jefferson's let- 
ters) "Nancy Wilton." In one letter Jefferson 
tells John Page that Ben. Harrison has gone to 



Wilton, and expresses a desire to know his luck. 
Fortune favored him, for we know that the fair 
Nancy married Benjamin Harrison, of Brandon, 
who was a member of the "First Executive Coun- 
cil of the State." 

DREWRY'S BLUFF (7). — The high bank on 
the right side of the river is "Drewry's Bluff." In 
May, 1862, before the fortifications here had been 
completed, though vessels loaded with stones had 
been sunk in the river, a strong Federal fleet 
came up the river intending to reduce Richmond. 
After a hot fight, in which the monitor ''Galena" 
was disabled, it was defeated, and dropped 
down the river. Subsequently the fortifications 
here were made so strong that no attempt was 
made to pass. 

CHAFFIN'S BLUFF (8 1-2). — Below Wilton 
Creek was strongly fortified by the Confederates. 

DUTCH GAP (14).— In 1611 Sir Thomas Gates 
with a large party of men, settled on the penin- 
sula at this point, and established the town of 
Henricopolis. Ralph Hamor, writing in 1615, says 
that there was a fortification thrown across the 
neck (probably where the canal now is), and a 
church and a number of framed houses erected. 
In 1619 the Virginia Company determined to es- 
tablish a college here. 10,000 acres of land were 
appropriated for its support, a rector appointed, 
and other arrangements made for the successful 
opening. The massacre of 1622 put an end to 



Henricopolis and to the college which was to be 
established nearby. Bishop Meade states: "It 
has also been called Dutch Gap, because there are 
indubitable marks of the commencement of a 
channel by the first Dutch settlers across its nar- 
row neck, by which the water might be let 
through, and seven miles of travel saved. The 
channel was opened about half way across, that 
is about 60 yards, and then abondoned. 

In 1864 General B. F. Butler undertook to cut 
a canal at this point for the purpose of allowing 
the Federal gunboats to evade the heavy batter- 
ies at the "Howlett House," opposite the other end 
of the peninsula. The Confederates shelled the 
working parties, and killed many men. Butler's 
canal had attained a depth of five or six feet when 
work on it was abandoned. In 1871 and 1872 the 
canal was made navigable. This peninsula be- 
came, in the early part of the seventeenth cen- 
tury, the property of the Farrar family, whose 
name it still retains. Later it belonged to the 
Randolps and Goxes. Before the introduction of 
steam tugs, the long bend here was known and 
dreaded by sailors, for no matter whence the 
wind came, in some parts of the trip around, ves- 
sels had to be towed by their boats, hence the old- 
time name for Dutch Gap bend among the sail- 
ors was "Pull and be !" 

OSBORNE'S. — About half way around this 
bend on the Chesterfield side of the river, is Os- 
borne's, formerly the site of the village called 
Gatesville. In April, 1781, the British forces cap- 



tured and destroyed here about twenty-five ves- 
sels loaded with a large quantity of tobacco, flour, 
&c. They appear also to have destroyed the lit- 
tle village as no notice of it appears at this 
time. For a number of years this was the ship- 
ping point for coal from the Clover Hill mines, 
in Chesterfield. About four miles above Osborne's 
on April 27, 1781, after a hot action with the 
British, the vessels of the Virginia Navy, then 
in the river, were defeated, captured and de- 
stroyed. 

VARINA, or AIKEN'S LANDING. — The Pe- 
ninsula at this point was styled in the earliest 
land grants "The Neck of Land in the Upper 
Parts," but in 1632 is called "Varina," a name 
derived, it is said, from the fact that tobacco 
grown here resembled a Spanish tobacco called 
Varinas. This was long the county seat of Hen- 
rico, and, it- is said, was the place of residence 
of John Rolfe and Pocahontas, on a tract of 
land given them by Powhatan. The tradition may 
be correct, for there is on record in Surry a 
deed from Thomas Rolfe, their son, conveying 
land which, he states, had been given him. At 
Varina also was the Glebe of Henrico Parish, 
where Rev. Wm. Stith lived when he wrote the 
history of Virginia; some forty years ago the 
sites of the glebe, courthouse, jail, tavern and 
John Rolfe's house were pointed out. Under the 
name of Aiken's Landing, Varina was well known 
during the late war as a place of exchange of 
prisoners. 



6 



CURLE'S NECK (20), on the north side of the 
river, was the site of a settlement at a very 
early date. It was first divided into a number of 
small farms, which gradually became consolidated. 
Here lived John Pleasants, a Quaker merchant 
and planter, ancestor of the family of that name; 
here also, in 1674, settled Nathaniel Bacon, "the 
Rebel," whose confiscated estate was afterwards 
sold to William Randolph. The latter appears to 
have become the owner of a large part of the 
neck, and he left it to his son, Richard, grand- 
father of John Randolph, of Roanoke. Later, the 
estate, containg over 3,000 acres, became a part 
of the great landed property of Major Wm. Allen, 
of Claremont. The estate is now the property of 
Mr. Senff, who, some years ago, built the fine 
brick house near the wharf. 

TURKEY ISLAND, on the north bank of the 
river, was so called, it is said, because there was 
once here an island in the river which was a 
favorite resort of wild turkeys. This was the 
home of Col. William Randolph, the first of the 
family of that name, and the ancestor of so many 
eminent Virginians, among them Thomas Jeffer- 
son, John Marshall, Robert E. Lee, Edmund Ran- 
dolph, Peyton Randolph, and John Randolph, of 
Roanoke. During the late war the estate was 
owned in part by General George E. Pickett. 
McClellan took refuge in and near this place 
after the "Seven Days' Battles," to be under the 
protection of his gunboats. The mansion house 



was destroyed at this time by the fire of the gun- 
boats. 

MALVERN HILL. — In sight from Turkey Is- 
land is Malvern Hill, the scene of the battle 
fought July, 1862. 

SHIRLEY (3 0), on the left bank of the river, 
nearly opposite Bermuda Hundred, has long been 
one of the most noted houses on the river. The 
estate was patented early in the seventeenth cen- 
tury by Colonel Edward Hill, Sr., a man of much 
prominence in the Colony. It was inherited by 
his son, Colonel Edward Hill, Jr., also a man of 
note, whose armorial tomb remains in the grave- 
yard here. His granddaughter and heiress, Eliza- 
beth, married John Carter, Secretary of State 
of the Colony, and son of Robert (King) Carter. 
The property has been ever since in the posses- 
sion of the Carters. This was the birthplace of 
Anne Hill Carter, wife of Light Horse Harry Lee, 
and mother of General Robert E. Lee. Many in- 
teresting family portraits are preserved here. 

BERMUDA HUNDRED (3 0), in Chesterfield 
county, at the junction of the James and Appomat- 
tox rivers, was at the time of the first settlement 
occupied by an Indian town. In 1611 Governor 
Dale took possession and established a settlement 
which he named Bermuda City. In the latter 
part of the seventeenth century "the town" of 
Bermuda was laid out. Warehouses and several 
stores were built, while quite a little village grew 



up in the vicinity. Fifty years ago a number of 
chimneys scattered along the terrace-like rise back 
of the present wharves, and a great number of 
broken bricks in the field showed where the little 
"town" had been. 

On May 2d, 1781, the British forces, under Phil- 
lips and Arnold, returning from their incursion 
to Richmond, embarked at Bermuda Hundred. 

For many years previous to the late war, be- 
fore the upper portion of the river was deepened, 
this was an important shipping point, and was 
the port of Richmond for large vessels. 

In 1864 General B. F. Butler, with twenty-five 
or thirty thousand men, was compelled to fall 
back into this neck, and his force was rendered 
so useless for offensive operations that he was 
said to be "bottled up." Just outside of this pe- 
ninsula still remain many heavy earthworks 
thrown up by him. Bermuda Hundred is now the 
terminus of the Richmond and Farmville Rail- 
road. 

CITY POINT (32), in Prince George county, 
across the Appomattox from Bermuda Hundred, 
derives its name from the fact that in 1620 land 
was laid out here for the establishment of "Charles 
City," (one of the cities which were to be estab- 
lished in each county). It is spoken of in the 
records of Prince George in 1720, as "City Point.'' 

On April 24, 1781, the British forces landed 
here, and marched to Petersburg, which they 
captured. General Grant had his headquarters 
here during the siege of Petersburg, and President 



Lincoln was here on a visit to him when Rich- 
mond was evacuated. 

On the Appomattox river is "Appomattox," the 
beautiful estate of the late Dr. Richard Eppes, 
which has been in the possession of his family for 
272 years. A large tract of land here was pat- 
ented in 1635 by Col. Francis Eppes, afterwards 
a member of the Council of State. This is no 
doubt the oldest title in Virginia, and probably 
in the United States. Not far away is "Cawsons," 
formerly a seat of the Blands, and the birthplace 
of John Randolph, of Roanoke. The house at 
Cawson's was long since destroyed. 

JORDAN'S POINT (35), three miles below 
City Point on the same side of the river, was 
long the residence of the Blands, and was the 
home of Richard Bland, of Revolutionary fame, 
whom Jefferson called "the wisest man south of 
James river." As a member of the House of Bur- 
gesses and Conventions, and of the Continental 
Congress, and a writer on Colonial rights, he 
was one of the foremost men of his time. 

At an early period, this place was settled by 
Samuel Jordan, who named his house after one 
of Fletcher's plays, "Beggar's Bush." He defended 
himself manfully at the time of the Indian mas- 
sacre in 1622. Not long after his death, in 1623, 
his widow, Cicely, was courted by Mr. William 
Farrar and Rev. Greville Pooley, and as she ap- 
parently promised to marry both suitors, the of- 
fers got into the colonial courts, with the result 
that the Council issued an edict imposing severe 



8 



penalties on any woman who should engage her- 
self to more than one man at a time. Unsympa- 
thetic persons have called attention to the fact 
that this law has never been repealed. 

BERKELEY (37 3-4), in Charles City county, 
(originally "Berkeley Hundred"), derived its name 
from being the seat of the plantation established 
about 1620, by Berkeley, Tracy, and others; their 
representative, the philanthropic George Thorp, 
who came to Virginia to take charge of the in- 
tended college, was killed at Berkeley by the In- 
dians in the massacre of 1622. 

About the beginning of the eighteenth century 
the estate became the property of the eldest 
branch of the Harrison family, and was the home 
of Benjamin Harrison, signer of the Declaration 
of Independence, and in 1773, the birthplace of 
his son, William Henry Harrison, President ol 
the United States. Berkeley was a place famous 
for its hospitality, and it is said that every presi- 
dent from Washington to Buchanan was enter- 
tained here. After the battle of Malvern Hill, 
McClellan retreated to this point. Five miles be- 
low, on the same side of the river, is "Greenway," 
the birthplace of President John Tyler. This is 
the only instance on record where a president 
and vice-president were natives of the same 
county. 

WESTOVER (39 1-4), in Charles City county, 
has long been one of the most noted places in Vir- 
ginia. It was for many years the county seat of 



Charles City county. The plantation was first 
the property of a family named Paulett; was sold 
to Theodorick Bland (whose tomb remains near 
the Westover house, in what was formerly the 
yard of Westover church), and was by him sold 
to Col. William Byrd, first of that name and de- 
scended to his son, Col. William Byrd, the found- 
er of Richmond, who collected here, at Westover, 
the largest private library in America; a library 
containing 3,625 volumes. From the second Wil- 
liam Byrd the estate passed to his son William, 
who commanded a Virginia regiment during the 
French and Indian war. The estate was sold by 
the heirs of this last William Byrd. The present 
house was built in 1737. 

In January, 1781, the British forces, under Ar- 
nold, landed here on their way to Richmond. 
Cornwallis crossed the river here, prior to the 
battle of Yorktown. 

Westover is now owned by Mr. and Mrs. W. 
McC. Ramsey. 

WEYANOKE (44 1-2) .When the English set- 
tlers first ascended James river, the Indians in 
this vicinity were under the command of a female 
chief styled the "Queen of Weyanoke." The es- 
tate was at one time the property of Governor 
Yeardley. The large old house was built about 
1727 by one of the Harwood family, and remained 
the property of his descendants, the Lewises and 
Douthats, until a few years past. 

FLOWER DE HUNDRED (43), on the right 



9 



bank of the river, bears a name which has caused 
considerable discussion. It is probably derived 
from "Fleur dieu," (the lily), or from the old 
English family of Flowerdew. It was owned by 
Governor Yeardley. It his been owned for many 
years by the Wilcox family. At Windmill Point, 
on this estate, was erected, in 1621, the first wind- 
mill in English America. In 1864 General Grant's 
army crossed the river here. 

FORT POWHATAN (46 1-4), was a fortifica- 
tion built and garrisoned during the war of 1812. 
It is situated on the right bank of the river, 
where the stream is considerably narrowed. 

UPPER BRANDON (49 1-2), about five miles 
below Fort Powhatan, is a large estate which for- 
merly belonged to the Harrison family. The 
house here is one of the handsomest on the river. 

BRANDON (55) — The original name of this 
place was "Martin's Brandon," so called from 
being the property of that restless adventurer of 
early colonial days, Captain John Martin. He 
appears to have abandoned it, and about 1635 it 
was patented in part by Richard Quiney, a Lon- 
don merchant, whose brother, Thomas Quiney, 
married, in 1616, Judith, daughter of William 
Shakespeare. The Quineys owned Brandon until 
about 1702, when one of them bequeathed it ti 
his nephew, Robert Richardson, who, in 1719, 
sold the estate to Nathaniel Harrison. It has 
ever since been the property of the descendants 
of the latter. 



The house contains a large and interesting 
collection of portraits. The window panes in 
the hall, on which were cut the names of guests 
at the |May and Christmas parties through 
many years, and which were the subject of John 
R. Thompson's well-known lines, "On the Win- 
dow Panes at Brandon," were intentionally de- 
stroyed by Federal soldiers. 

CLAREMONT (56 1-4), divided by Chippoaks 
creek from Brandon, was formerly an estate of 
12,5 00 acres owned by the late Major William 
Allen. The family of Allen owned land here 
as early as 1649, and continued to increase their 
estate by the purchase of neighboring lands 
(including Wakefield, the original seats of the 
Harrrisons), until the death of Colonel • William 
Allen (uncle of Major William Allen), the 
last male of the family, who left his great 
estates to his nephew, on condition that he 
would take the name of Allen. The dwelling 
house (still standing) was one of the best in 
Virginia. The Allen estate has now been sold 
in smaller tracts of land, and the flourishing 
town of Claremont established. It is a termi- 
nus of the Atlantic and Danville railroad. 

SANDY POINT (57 3-4), across the river 
from Claremont, was from the latter part of 
the seventeenth until the first quarter of the 
nineteenth century, the seat of the Lightfoot 
family. The house, said to have been built in 
1717, is named "Teddington," and the estate 



10 



which, prior to the late war included 4,800 
acres, was one of the best on the river. Charles 
Campbell the historian, wrote in the Southern 
Literary Messenger a pleasant account of a visit 
here (when it was owned by Robert B. Boiling), 
entitled "A Christmas at Teddington." 

THE CHICKAHOMINY (59). — Just below 
Sany Point (or "Teddington"), at Dancing 
Point, the Chickahominy flows into the James. 
On this river Captain Smith was captured by 
the Indians, and on this river, also, McClellan's 
army did not capture Richmond. It played, 
indeed, a most important part in the defence 
of the city. 

FOUR MILE TREE, on the other side of the 
river, is the name of a large estate which was 
granted, in 163 7, to Henry Browne, afterwards 
member of the Council. Many generations of 
his family (which was one of the most influen- 
tial and wealthy of the county) owned the plan- 
tation, until the present century, when it 
passed to their defendants, the Coches. A 
large, old mansion still remains. 

GRAY'S .CREEK, SMITH'S .FORT (69). 
Nearly opposite Jamestown in the county of 
Surry, a little above Scotland Wharf, Gray's 
Creek flows into James River. At the mouth 
of the Creek is a place called "Smith's Fort." 
The Surry County Records show that Thomas 
Rolfe, the son of Pocahontas, owned an estate 



of 1,200 acres here, which was called "Smith's 
Fort," which he sold to Thomas Warren The 
same records prove that the old brick house 
standing near the Creek, was built by Warren 
in 165 4, making it, perhaps, the oldest brick 
house, with a positive date, in Virginia. There 
is recorded in Surry a deed dated 16.74, from 
Thomas Rolfe to William Corker, conveying 
150 acres between "Smith's Fort old fields" 
and "Devil's Woodyard Swamp," "being due to 
the said Mr. Rolfe by gift from the Indian 
King." On a high bluff out of sight of the 
River and almost encircled by the creek, traces 
of trenches may still be seen There can be 
little doubt that this was the fort, built accord- 
ing to Smith as a place of refuge if the settlers 
had to leave Jamestown. 

SWAN'S POINT, nearly opposite Jamestown, 
was settled early in the seventeenth century 
by William Swan, and was, in 16 76, the resi- 
dence of his son, Col. Thomas Swan, member 
of the Council, at whose house the commission- 
ers sent from England to suppress Bacon's 
Rebellion held their meetings. 



JAMESTOWN (69), 
END OF BOOK. 



SEE CHAPTER AT 



ARCHER'S HOPE (71) three miles below James- 
town on the same side of the river, the creek 
of this name enters the James. This stream 
and a considerable territory on both sides of 



11 



it bore, in the early Colonial period, the name 
Archer's Hope, a name given in honor of 
Gabriel Archer, one of the Council of 1607. 
Here it was desired that the first settlement 
should be made, but the water was too shoal. 

KINGSMILL, (75.28), formerly a large 
estate is' on the North side of the river below 
Archer's Hope. It derives its name from Rich- 
ard Kingsmill, a prominent settler, whose 
daughter and heiress married first, Col. Wil- 
liam Tayloe, of the Council, and secondly, Na- 
thaniel Bacon, President of that body. On 
her tomb, which has been removed from York 
County, to St. Paul's churchyard, Norfolk, the 
honors of her various alliances are evenly and 
quaintly divided The epitaph only states that 
she was the wife of the Hon. Nathaniel Bacon; 
but the arms are Tayloe and Kingsmill impaled. 
The Bacon arms which duly appear on the good 
President's tomb at her old home in York 
County, are not given place on his wife's tomb. 
Kingsmill was long the property of the Burwell 
family. About 173 6, Lewis Burwell built a 
large brick house near the river. It has been 
destroyed. This was formerly a landing place 
for Williamsburg, but steamers no longer 
touch here. 

HOG ISLAND, (75.09), on the South side of 
the river has been for some years called 
"Homewood." It is still a large estate, embrac- 
ing about 2,2 00 acres. It was called by the 



original name as early as 1608, being used by 
the early settlers as a place for keeping their 
hogs The Holts, a prominent family of this 
section, owned the estate for many genera- 
tions. 

CARTER'S GROVE, on the North side of 
the river, is situated on a bluff eighty feet 
above the beach, and commands a magnificent 
water view. The house here, one of the best 
on the river, was built in 173 6 by Carter Bur- 
well. Robert (King) Carter left the estate, 
describing it as all his property in Martin's 
Hundred, to his daughter Elizabeth, with rever- 
sion to her son, Carter Burwell, and directed 
that it should always be called "Carter's 
Grove." The house contains an especially wide 
and beautiful hall and the railing of the stair- 
case still bears gashes made by th sabres of 
Tarleton's troopers. 

The landing here was known as Burwell's 
Ferry, and was the scene of an attempt by 
Arnold to make a landing in December, 1780, 
which was defeated by the Virginia Militia. 
The British forces, however, under Arnold and 
Phillips were more successful in April, 1781, 
forced their way and occupied Williamsburg. 

BURWELL'S BAY, — The wide expanse of 
water below Carter's Grove and Hog Island de- 
rives its name from the Burwells' who owned 
large estates on its borders. Near Rock wharf 
(87), Edward Bennett, a prominent London 



12 



merchant and member of the Virginia Company 
established a large plantation about 1621, in 
partnership with his nephew Richard Bennett, 
afterwards Governor of Virginia, and others. 
At a later period, much of the land became the 
property of the Burwell family. 

MULBERRY ISLAND, (85) is notable as the 
place where, on June 8, 1610, the little vessels 
containing the despairing settlers who had the 

day before abandoned Jamestown, were met by 
a message from Lord Delaware, just arrived in 

the bay. This timely arrival saved Virginia 
from being abandoned 

WARWICK RIVER, (93) enters the James 
on the North side In the early part of the 
Civil War it constituted part of General Mc- 
Gruder's line of defense against the advance of 
General McClellan. 

On James River, and extending from the 
Warwick River down to Deep Creek was the 
extensive estate of Captain Samuel Matthews, 
Governor of the Colony, 1658-1660, and for 
many years one of the leading men of Virginia. 
A writer in 1648 describes his fine estate and 
excellent management, and concludes his ac- 
count with the statement, that Captain Matthews 
"Kept a good house, lived bravely and was true 
lover of Virginia." A good character for an 
old Virginia gentleman. 

NEWPORT'S 'NEWS, (102) a flourishing- 



city, especially noted for its shipyard, where in 
recent years many of the best ships of the 
navy have been built, as well as" many fine ves- 
sels for passenger and freight traffic. 

The statement that the place was originally 
called New Port Nuce, from a family of Nuce, 
is a mere guess, without any evidence to sup- 
port it. In the earliest records in which the 
name appears it is called "Newport's News," or 
"Newse." Alliterative names were the fashion 
of the day. Higher up the river were "Jordan's 
Journey," "Cawsey's Cave," and other like 
names. There is no reasonable doubt that after 
this fashion this place was called "Newport's 
News," in honor of Christopher Newport. The 
proper name is not Newport News, but New- 
port's News. 

Off Newport's News on March 8, 1862, oc- 
curred the famous battle between the Confede- 
rate iron clad Virginia and a fleet of power- 
ful wooden ships of the United States Navy, 
which revolutionized naval warfare. On the 9th. 
was fought the drawn battle between the Vir- 
ginia and the Monitor Ericsson, at the end of 
which, however, the Monitor withdrew from 
action. 

HAMPTON.- — O'riginally an Indian village 
called Kechoughtan, was settled by the Colon- 
ists at an early date. In 1610 two small forts 
were built here. The English name — abrevi- 
ated from Southampton — of the town and 
roads, was given in honor of Henry Wriothes- 



13 



ley, Earl of Southampton, Treasurer (President) 
of the Virginia Company and friend of Shake- 
speare. The town was formally established in 
1680. It contains an interesting old church, 
built about 1728. The people of Hampton have 
always been noted for spirit and for their 
loyalty to Virginia The first hostilities of the 
Revolution in Virginia occurred here, when 
some small English vessels tried to force a 
landing, and in the Civil War, the inhabitants 
burned the town that it might not shelter the 
Federal army. Only one house, and the walls 
of the church were left 

The Soldier's Home and the Hampton Nor- 
mal and Industrial School are well known 
places in the vicinity 

POINT COMFORT (110) or Old Point, as it 
is generally known, was named by the first set- 
tlers in their gratification at reaching a quiet 
haven after the long voyage. A fort has been 
in existence here since 1619. The present Fort 
Monroe was begun in 1819. The hotels here 
have long been places of fashionable resort. 

CRANEY ISLAND, on the South side of 
Hampton Roads, was during the war of 1812, 
the scene of a sharp little action in which the 
English forces, under Admiral Cockburn were 
defeated. In 1862, the Confederate iron clad 
Virginia was blown up here because her draught 
was too great to ascend James River. 

Sewell's Point derives its name from Henry 



Sewell, an early settler, who was a member 
of the House of Burgesses in 1639. 

WILLOUGHBY POINT or SPIT was on the 

estate of the family of Willoughby, which dur- 
ing almost the entire Colonial period was of 
prominence. Col. John Willoughby took the 
side of the King and joined Lord Dunmore in 
1776, but the family remained in Virginia. 

ELIZABETH RIVER, on which Norfolk and 
Portsmouth are situated, was named for the 
beautiful and unfortunate daughter of James 
I, Elizabeth, Queen of Bohemia. 

With this river, our notes for the journey 
between Richmond and Norfolk end. 

A GUIDE FOR VISITORS TO JAMES- 
TOWN. 

Description and History. 

JAMESTOWN (69), was reached by the first 
Colonists in the ships Susan Constant, God- 
speed, and Discovery, on May 13th, 1607, and 
the landing was completed on the next day. It 
was at first intended to establish the settle- 
ment on a bluff on the upper side of Archer's 
Hope Creek, a short distance below Jamestown, 
but the water there was too shoal for the ships 
to come close to the shore. No more than 
the briefest summary of the history of "James 
Citty," which was practically the history of the 
colony for a hundred years, can be giveu. 



14 



Here all of the Governors resided, and the as- 
semblies and courts were convened, until the 
capital was removed to Williamsburg; here 
Pocahontas came as a little girl to visit, help 
or warn the colonists, here she was baptized 
and married; here the first legislative assembly 
convened in America met in 1619, and here, in 
the same year, the first slaves brought to Vir- 
ginia were landed. At Jamestown the maidens 
brought over for wives for the colonists were 
married; here, in 1622, George Sandys com- 
posed the first poetical production in Anglo- 
American literature, his translation of the 
Metamorphoses of Ovid, and the first book of 
the Aeneid; and at this place in April, 1635, 
occurred the first organized resistance, in Vir- 
ginia, to governmental oppression, when Gov- 
ernor Harvey was deposed. In 16 44, O'pechan- 
canough, the fierce old Indian chief, was 
brought to Jamestown a prisoner, and was 
murdered by a guard. In March, 165 2, Gover- 
nor Berkeley fortified the town and procured 
the assistance of several Dutch vessels lying in 
the river to aid in his intention of resisting 
an attack by the Parliamentary forces, but sur- 
rendered on easy and equitable terms; and here, 
in 1660, with great rejoicing the restoration 
of Charles II was proclaimed. In 1676 many 
of the most interesting events of Bacon's Re- 
bellion occurred at Jamestown, and the little 
village, including the State House and church, 
was burnt to the ground by Bacon and his ad- 
herents. About 1700 the seat of government 



was removed to Williamsburg, and Jamestown 
was soon almost entirely abandoned, and be- 
came merely the site of a few plantations. 

Beverley, writing in 1706, says Jamestown 
was then almost deserted. As the owners of 
the smaller lots on the island moved away 
their land was sold or abandoned, and the 

land gradually passed into a few hands. In 
1653 Edward Travis had a grant of 3 26 acres, 
near the lower end, and his family gradually 
acquired other portions by purchase or grant, 
so that in 1682, when Edward Travis (proba- 
bly son of the preceding) obtained a re-grant 
for all of his lands, he held 55 acres. This 
estate remained the property of the Travis fam- 
ily until within the nineteenth century. "James 
Citty" had long been entitled to a representa- 
tive in the House of Burgesses, and when the 
inhabitants removed, and the land became the 
property of the Travises, Jamestown became a 
"pocket borough" (the only instance in Vir- 
ginia), from which, for many years, one of 
the Travis family, or his nominee, was always 
returned. Smyth, writing of a visit here in 

1772, says that Champion Travis, Esq., was 
the owner of the whole town and almost all 
the land adjacent, and "I believe there are 
no more voters than himself." 

The other portion of the island became the 

property of Edward Jacqueline, and of his de- 
scendants the Amblers, whose large brick 

house was some years ago destroyed by fire. It 

is stated that the house thus burnt was only 



15 



a portion of the original Ambler house, one 
part having been destroyed many years ago. 
This was the home of two brothers, Richard 
and Jacqueline Ambler, who were so fortunate 
in love as to win from such rivals as George 
Washington and Thomas Jefferson the hands of 
Mary Cary and Rebecca Burwell. 

The present wall around the graves at the 
church was built early in the nineteenth cen- 
tury by Mr. Ambler and Mr. Lee, of "Green- 
spring," who had the fragments of the wall re- 
maining around the old churchyard taken 
down, and built around the smaller space con- 
taining the remaining tombs. 

On July 4, 1781, Cornwallis retreating down 
the river camped at Jamestown, and on July 
6, fought near Jamestown a sharp action with 
the Americans under Lafayette, in which the 
latter were defeated. On the 9th, the British 
army crossed the river and proceeded to Ports- 
mouth. In September, 1781 the first French 
troops arriving in Virginia for the Yorktown 
Campaign landed at Jamestown. 

In 1861, the Confederate Fort was erected 
by the order of Gen. R. E. Lee. 

In 1901 excavations were carried on in the 
church and churchyard, which brought to light 
the heavy brick foundations of a church 55 by 
2 6 3-4 feet, and within these foundations those 
of a smaller building, doubtless the earlier 
church. Various old tombs were also unearthed 
one of which, in the church, once had brasses 
inserted. The incision in the stone shows that 



there was the figure of a knight in armor, and 
there is good reason to believe that this must 
have been the tomb of Governor Sir George 
Yeardley, who died in 162 7. If this is a cor- 
rect assignment of the tomb, it would prove 
that this was the site of the original church. 

There were found three tiled chancels, one 
beneath the other. Abundant evidences of fire 
were found, and in the debris below the floor 
level of the last church were found the sexton's 
tools with bits of charred wood, showing where 
the helves had been. Many other relics were 
discovered, which are preserved in a little mu- 
seum at Jamestown. Excavations also revealed 
that many bodies had been buried within the 
church. 

In 1903 a large block of connected brick 
foundations was discovered by Mr. S. H. Yonge 
and excavated and saved from destruction un- 
der his supervision. Mr Yonge's remarkable 
monograph, "The site of Old James Towne 
1607-1698," shows how he identified the most 
Western of these houses as the State House of 
1666-169&. The identification is complete and 
these ruins are now among the objects of chief 
interest at Jamestown. 

The Association for the Preservation of Vir- 
ginia Antiquities. 

This organization, established and controlled 
by Virginia women, but with many men as 
members, and on its board and committees, 



16 



was chartered in 188 9. To it the country owes 
the existence of any relics of interest of old 
Jamestown, and indeed, almost the existence 
of the upper part of the Island. By an act 
passed in 1892, the State of Virginia conveyed 
to the Association any rights it might have at 
Jamestown. 

On March 3rd, 1893, Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Bar- 
ney generously gave 22 1-2 acres surrounding 
the churchyard. Until Mr Barney purchased 
the island, the tombs and tower had been con- 
stantly subject to the vandalism of visitors. 
The A. P. V. A. at once enclosed its property, 
placed a keeper in charge, strengthened the 
tower which had gotten into a very weak con- 
dition, and planted trees and flowers. 

The river was making rapid inroads on the 
shore and for a number of years the most im- 
portant work of the Association was the en- 
deavor to secure a sea-well. Its efforts have 
been successful and Congress has made three 
appropriations for the purpose. The present 
massive breakwater, designed and constructed 
by Mr. S. H. Yonge, U. S. Engineer, will pro- 
tect the island for an almost unlimited time. 

The Association has also made the excava- 
tions which have been described, and has stimu- 
lated interest by annual pilgrimages to James- 
town, by publications and by lectures. The 
Association has received official recognition 
both from the United States and the State of 
Virginia. It has representatives on the board 
of the Tercentenary Exposition and received 



from the last Virginia Legislature an appropri- 
ation of $2,500, to be used for buildings and 
improvements at Jamestown in 1907. It has 
donated to the United States an acre and a 
quarter of land for the site of the monument 
which the government was to erect in commemor- 
ation of the founding of the nation. Under an 
agreement by which the United States agreed 
to spend $10,000 on buildings, improvements 
and policing at Jamestown, the Association 
opens its grounds without admission fee, dur- 
ing the period of the Norfolk Exposition. 

During the year 19 07, there will be at James- 
town a series of most interesting celebrations 
and services, at which the A. P. V. A. will 
either commemorate some historic event, or 
be the recipient of some highly valued building, 
statue or other memorial. 

On May 9th, the Colonial Dames of America 
will present an exceedingly handsome pair of 
gates. On May 11th, the National Society of 
Colonial Dames will present the restored 
church, on May 13 th, the A. P. V. A. and its 
guests will commemorate with elaborate cere- 
monies, at which the Governor of Virginia, 
and the British Ambassador will be the princi- 
pal speakers, the three hundredth anniversary 
of the birthday of the United States. On 
other days the quaint and attractive house, 
built by the Daughters of the American Rev- 
olution, the statue of John Smith, the statue 
of Pocahontas, given by the Pocahontas memo- 
rial Association, the bronze drinking fountain 



17 



from the Massachusetts Society of Colonial 
Wars; the House of Burgesses monument from 
the Norfolk branch of the A. P. V A.; the tab- 
lets to Rev. Robert Hunt from the dio- 
ceses of Virginia, and West Virginia; of Wil- 
liam Claiborne from Mrs. W. R. Cox; of Lord 
Delaware, from Mrs. de Benneville Keim, and 
that containing a copy of the epitaph of John 
Smith, from the Washington Branch of the A. 
P. V. A., will be more or less formally pre- 
sented. The consecration of the Church for 
non-secretarian religious purposes, and the 
completion of the monument erected by the 
United States will be among the most notable 
days of the year. In October, the General Con- 
vention of the Protestant Episcopal Church, 
then in triennial session in Richmond, will 
spend a day at Jamestown. 

ADVICE TO VISITORS. 

As the steamer approaches Jamestown the 
tourist's eye is caught by a long white line on 
the shore. When we come nearer this is shown 
to be the massive sea-wall erected by the 
United States Government, which will forever 
protect the island from further ravages of the 
river. 

It will be well to seize a few minutes before 
we land and tell the traveler that the loss of 
ground by the inroads of the river has been 
chiefly above the tower, and that there is good 
reason to believe that the twenty acres which 



have been engulfed were never anything but 
a sort of suburb of the little town, and proba- 
bly contained no buildings of importance. 

On reaching the shore from the wharf we are 
in the upper end of the portion of the island, 
which, from 1623 to 1700, was that chiefly oc- 
cupied by "James Citty." Here were the homes 
of the Governors and other prominent men of 
that period, and at least one State-house was 
situated on the river bank not far below the 
wharf. 

Proceeding up the road from the wharf, we 
soon reach the ground given by the Associa- 
tion for the Preservation of Virginia Antiqui- 
ties, to the United States Government for a 
monument site. In the midst of gravelled 
walks and flower beds, stands a shaft one hun- 
dred feet high, modeled after the Washington 
monument in Washington, but with more grace- 
ful lines. There are five tablets, containing 
appropriate inscriptions.. 

Adjoining the monument lot to the west is 
the property of the Association for the Preser- 
vation of Virginia Antiquities. 

Though the grounds of the Association are 
open to all during the period of the Exposi- 
tion, it should be noted that otherwise, the As- 
sociation retains full control. There is an effi- 
cient police force, whose members will give 
visitors every assistance in their power; hut 
who will rigidly suppress all disorder and ar- 
rest any person guilty of disorderly conduct, 
or of trespass or injuring buildings, tombs, 



18 



fences, monuments, ruins, etc., or breaking 
flowers, trees or shrubs. 

It should be stated in the beginning that the 
chief guide for the antiquities of Jamestown is 
Mr. Samuel H. Yonge's most valuable work, 
"The Site of Old 'Jamestown,' 1607-1698." 
This book has revolutionized or, we may say, 
created our present knowledge of the old capi- 
tal. All who desire to study the subject tho- 
roughly must make use of Mr. Yonge's book. 
It can be purchased at Jamestown and at book- 
stores generally. The price is $1.00. 

We enter the grounds of the A. P. V. A. 
through very handsome wrought iron gates 
of colonial pattern, with brick pillars twelve 
feet high. These gates with their beau- 
tiful design and decorations and appropriate 
motto are the gift of the Society of Colonial 
Dames of America. They were designed by the 
well known architects Carrere and Hastings. 

If the visitor wishes to study Jamestown in 
chronological order, let him proceed at once 
up the river bank or through the Confederate 
fort to the first jetty above. In the river, 
about one hundred and seventy-five yards dis- 
tant, was the shore line of 1607, and Mr. 
Yonge's investigations have proved conclusively 
that on this old shore line, at a point opposite 
where the visitor is standing, must have been 
the spot on which the first settlers landed. 

We will now turn back to the Confederate 
fort and place ourselves at its northwestern an- 
gle. Here, or only a short distance away, is 



believed to have been the north bastion of the 
triangular palisaded fort of 1607. If the visi- 
tor, standing at the point indicated, will with 
his eye mark out a line beginning at the river 
bank at the angle of the Confederate fort fur- 
thest down stream, carry -it across the fort 
to a point on the road between the fort and 
the state-house foundations, and then return to 
the river not far above the jetty which has 
been referred to, he will (as far as it is now 
possible to locate the site) have included all 
that remains above water of the site of the 
original palisaded town. 

Near where he stands good Parson Hunt con- 
ducted the first religious service; around him 
the settlers built their first cabins. Here lived 
Smith and Percy, Dale and Gates; here Poca- 
hontas made her visits of help and warning, 
and here was the little church in which she 
was baptized and married. Here were experi- 
enced the horrors of the terrible "starving 
time," and to the shore in front the wasted sur- 
vivors dragged themselves to welcome Lord 
Delaware, and watched him as he knelt on the 
sand in devout thanksgiving. 

This narrow circuit, where probably every 
yard of ground covers a grave, may well be 
called the ibattle-ground and burial-place of 
Virginia's "forlorn hope," through whose la- 
bors and sufferings the foundation of the col- 
ony was laid. 

The incidents of historic interest connected 
with the old palisaded town would occupy 



19 



much more time for relation and thought than 
the visitor usually has to give, so we must now 
turn to the churchyard. 

Lingering for a time to examine the old tow- 
er, which was for so long the only visible relic 
of Jamestown, we pass through it and enter 
the beautifully reconstructed building erected 
behind. Only a few years ago the foundations 
of the old church were covered with several 
feet of earth and large trees grew above them. 

Within the outer walls will be noticed two 
fragments of wall only nine inches thick. 
These narrow walls are based on round cobble 
stones, and could have borne nothing but a 
frame superstructure. There is good reason 
to believe that these little fragments of wall 
are parts of the church built shortly before 
1619, in which the first Virginia Legislature 
assembled in that year. No more interesting 
bits of brick exist in America than these relics 
of the building in which legislation by the peo- 
ple of the Western World began. 

The massive three-foot foundations, with 
their buttresses and tiled chancel, are the re- 
mains of the first brick church, built in 163 9- 
42. The church was burnt by Bacon's men in 
1676 (the keeper will show relics of the fire 
which were found in excavating) and rebuilt 
not long afterwards. It is not believed that 
the thick walls were materially injured by the 
fire. At some unknown period early in the 
eighteenth century the church was abandoned 
and gradually disappeared. The entire area of 



the church is full of graves, and some of them 
contained spurs, gold lace and other evidences 
of distinction in dress. 

After the fragments of the earlier church, 
the most interesting thing in the ruins is a 
tomb in front of the chancel, which once bore 
inlaid brasses (removed at some unknown 
time). This is the only example of such a tomb 
in America. To many the channels in the 
stone seem to show a pointed helmet and other 
conventional indications of knighthood, and it 
has been plausibly conjected that the tomb was 
in memory of Governor Sir George Yeardley, 
who died at Jamestown in 162 7. 

Back of the church is the graveyard with a 
number of interesting old tombs, many of 
which have been in fragments, but have now 
been restored as far as possible. Caught in 
the side of a great sycamore is a part of the 
tomb of Mrs. Sarah (Harrison) Blair, wife of 
James Blair, the founder of William and Mary 
College. On the other side of the tree is the 
base of Dr. Blair's tomb. As his epitaph is 
known it is intended to restore the slab. Other 
tombs which may be mentioned are those of 
members of the Ludwell family (ancestors of 
Richard Henry and Francis Lightfoot Lee, the 
signers of the Declaration), of Lady Frances 
Berkeley (a fragment), of Mrs. Elizabeth 
Drummond, daughter-in-law of William Drum- 
mon d, of Bacon's Rebellion fame (recent- 
ly removed from "Greenspring"), and of Wm. 



20 



Sherwood, whose epitaph, as his will directed, 
states that he was a great sinner. 

For several years after the foundations or 
the church were unearthed, they were covered 
with a rough frame structure to protect them 
from the weather. The National Society of 
the Colonial Dames of America, desiring to 
pay a tribute to the birthplace of the nation, 
asked permission of the A. P. V. A. to build 
and present to that Association a reconstruction 
of the old church This building was to be as 
much like the old church as possible and would 
at once be a beautiful and appropriate memo- 
rial and a protection to the ruins within. The 
architect of the restored building is Mr. Ed- 
mund M. Wheelwright, of Boston, Mass., and 
the entire work has been a great success. In 
order to preserve the old foundations as far 
as possible, concrete piers were placed in them 
at intervals, and steel beams laid on these 
piers. The new walls resting on the beams 
are above; but not on the old foundations, 
though this is not apparent. Specially burnt 
and moulded bricks were made, and as the 
making of white glazed bricks, such a charac- 
teristic features of colonial buildings, seems to 
be a lost art, genuine old glazed-headed brick 
were procured at great trouble and expense 
from wrecks of walls and chimneys in remote 
parts of Virginia. The effect is all that could 
be desired. The old tiled Chancel, the eastern 
wall, and the foundations of the earlier church 
have been untouched, and are protected by a 



railing running around inside the church. The 
original church was floored with brick, and 
this is repeated in the restoration. Fragments 
of slate, showed the character of the roof and 
the new church has also one of slate. The 
roof is a handsome hammerbeam truss. Por- 
tions of the leads of the old diamond shaped 
panes enabled the architect to make this fea- 
ture an exact imitation, while the hinges and 
wrought nails are copies from similar articles 
dug up at Jamestown. The great east window 
is copied from that in the church near Smithfie'd, 
the oldest Protestant church in America, and the 
only brick 17th century church left intact in the 
original United States. Too much praise can- 
not be given to the Colonial Dames, their ar- 
chitect and builders, for the perfect manner in 
which their work has been accomplished. 

Great interest is added to the interior of 
the church by several tablets. The largest is 
of bronze, about nine by five feet and repre- 
sents the administering of the first communion 
by Rev. Robert Hunt. It is the gift of the 
three dioceses of Virginia and West Virginia. 
Close by are handsome tablets in honor of Wil- 
liam Claiborne, Secretary of State, and one of 
the most notable Virginians of the 17th Cen- 
tury, given by Mrs. W. R. Cox, of the good Lord 
Delaware, Virginia's first Governor in chief, 
who saved the Colony in the "Starving Time," 
presented by Mrs. de Benneville Keim, a de- 
scendant of his brother Governor John West, 
and another (most appropriately) containing a 



21 



copy of the epitaph of Captain John Smith, 
formerly in St. Sepulchre's church, London. 
Only four or five places remain in' the church 
for tablets, and the Association will see that 
these are reserved to commemorate eminent 
men or events of great historic interest. 

As has been stated above, Bishop Randolph 
of the diocese of Southern Virginia, will, dur- 
ing the summer or fall, consecrate the building 
as a non-sectarian church, the Association 
agreeing to reserve it for such purposes only 
as might become a sacred building. There can 
indeed be no more sacred spot. 

Just south of the churchyard, which is sur- 
rounded by a handsome fence, given by the 
President of the A. P. V. A. with gates given by 
branch Associations, one finds the granite Cross 
recording the visit in 1898 of the General Con- 
vention of the Episcopal Church (then in ses- 
sion at Washington) to Jamestown. Nearby 
is the monument in honor of the House of 
Burgesses, erected by the Norfolk branch of 
the A. P. V. A. 

Also near, close to the Fort and to the river, 
we see what has long been felt to be lacking in 
Virginia, — a statue of Captain John Smith. 
This striking bronze figure is the work of the 
sculptor Couper, and is mainly the gift of one, 
to whom of all of its members, the A. P. V. A. 
is chiefly indebted. 

Passing again through the Confederate Port, 
the visitor finds near its upper end, facing the 
broad expanse of water, a graceful bronze 



statue of Pocahontas, presented by the Poca- 
hontas Memorial Association. The sculptor 
Partridge has most excellently executed his con- 
ception of the Indian maiden as she stole 
through the forests to aid or warn the settlers 
at Jamestown. 

Only a few steps farther is the "Rest House," 
or "Comfort Station," erected by the United 
States Government, under its agreement with 
the A. P. V. A. It is situated almost on the 
river bank, and its many windowed pavilion 
fitted with benches receives most refreshing 
breezes. In this building are rooms for the 
sole use of women and children . 

It may be as well to mention here that this 
house, like that erected by the D. A. R., Is 
supplied with water from the artesian well sunk 
a year ago by the A. P. V. A. This well fur- 
nishes a large quantity of water to the house and 
to several hydrants on the grounds. 

Just outside the Northwestern corner of the 
Fort, the place of a hydrant is taken by a 
handsome bronze drinking fountain, the gift of 
the Massachusetts Society of Colonial Wars. 

Leaving the vicinity of the Confederate fort, 
and crossing the open space we reach the next 
ridge, which has been long marked by an old 
pear tree and an ancient bricked well. Here, 
surroundd by a wire fence, we find the most 
extensive group of foundations which remains. 
They extend from the river eastward for a 
distance of two hundred and forty feet. The 
house at the inshore end of the row (it is 



22 



divided into sections by a partition wall) was 
the State-house, built about 1666, and burnt by 
Bacon in 1676. In front of this State-house 
and most probably on the side toward the Con- 
federate fort, took place the famous interview 
between Bacon and Berkeley, and around the 
building gathered Bacon's musketeers, demand- 
ing a commission for their leader. The identi- 
fication of this building, which is complete, and 
the excavation and preservation of the remains 
are due to Mr. Yonge. 

This State-house was rebuilt on the same 
foundation, but was finally destroyed by fire in 
169 8, and with it ended the history of old 
Jamestown. 

On the same ridge in the rear of these foun- 
dations the visitor will find the most attractive 
place for rest, and one of the chief centres of 
interest on the grounds. A quaint house of 

Colonial design, modeled to some extent 



after the old "Malvern Hill" house has been 
erected by the Daughters of the American 
Revolution, as a memorial and a gift to the 
A. P. V. A. It contains several bed-rooms, a 
large assembly hall, dining-room, kitchen, etc., 
and has been furnished by the Daughters with 
antique furniture and domestic implements. 

Returning to the boat we may pause again 
in the Confederate fort and examine more 
carefully this relic of the "Lost Cause, which 
was erected in 18 81, under the orders of Gen- 
eral R. E. Lee. It is most fitting that an era 
which was so momentous to Virginia and to 
the whole country, should have such a memo- 
rial at the birthplace of the nation. 

The limited space of this little book will not 
permit fuller details in regard to the very in- 
teresting discoveries made in 1902, but a 
pamphlet sold at Jamestown gives a complete 
account. 



23 



WEST WOOD, HO! 

By Charles Washington Coleman. 

A poem for the celebration by the college of William 
and Mary and the Association for the Preservation 
of Virginia Antiquities of the 288th anniversary of 
the Landing of the English at Jamestown in Virginia, 
13th May, 1895. 

Around the Old World's struggle and contention 

The sea came leaping in against the shore; 
And some there were, 'midst effort and dissension, 

Who said the booming waves a message bore. 
And some went down upon the sand to hearken, 

And felt their souls to keen adventure strung; 
Bright dawned the day no gloom of doubt might 
darken, 

As ever in their ears the promise rung. 

"Oh, hear! The Old World's creed is fallacy, 

The true grown false through cycles swiftly sped; 

Like wilful winds its wild discords are spread 
Athwart the atmosphere. Lo, I, the sea, 
Keep catching at the shore with monody 

Of deep harmonious dissonance; give heed ! 

Ye restless wills ; the witless Old is dead; 
Come seek the New, come to the West with me." 



(Toil and strife and hope's promises broken, 
Clashing and clangor of arms that slay. 

But, "Listen" they said, "for the sea hath spoken; 
Listen what message the sea would say!") 

"0 ye who groan beneath oppression's heel; 

Ye who contend against the right of might; 

true, tried hearts; O souls bereft of sight 
Through long mind darkness; ye men who feel 
Within you leap life's passionate appeal, 

Your children's children crying for the light — 

Beyond the billows lyeth fair and white 
A virgin beach to kiss your coming keel." 

O'er the crash of Armadas, the wreck of flotillas, 
Clear through the parliaments' wrangles and stress, 

Heard they the song of the breaking billows, 
Felt the world's destiny westward press. 

The warrior knight from the fray with the foeman, 
The priest in his cassock, the courtier curled, 

The clown and the poet, the brawny-armed yoeman — 
Stout English hearts all, the great force of the world. 

In the wake of the sun, with the sweep of the surges 
Eager and onward the true hearts pressed, 

Feeling the force that humanity urges, 
Hearing the call and its high behest. 



24 



Here found they a home, those valiant seaman, 

Here at last the sails were furled, 
And here did they plant them the flag of the freemen — 

The van of the race that has girdled the world. 

O men of this last time, here where ye stand 
The ground is holy. Be ye firm and just; 

For heirs are ye, to that brave hardy band, 
Who crossed a pathless sea and westward thrust, 

Bearing the message of man's destiny. 
Here lived they, strove and died; here sleeps their 
dust; 



For that they wrought, then are ye blest and free; 
This ground is holy; keep ye well the trust. 

From tawny tides of Powhatan, 
From white-lipped waves of Chesapeake; 

Still, with the sun has pressed the van, 

O'er plain and cloud- wreathed mountain peak— 

Three thousand miles of glorious land, 

The stretch of freedom's fair estate, 
From here the splendid arc is spanned — 

Virginia to the Golden Gate. 



L IBRftRY OF CONGRESS 



llll III HI 
014 444 821 2 



